Leaving the ramp before the sun rose Chalk and I headed East from Lanark and made our way toward what would be our first of several stops for the day. As we rounded the point of a shoal the sun was just breaking the horizon. The wind out of the ESE about 8-10 when we got there and was gusting to 12. It stayed that way all day. As the sun got higher in the sky we could start to make out the spotty bottom we were looking for. Thanks to Suber and the loan of a Capt. Dick's stakeout pole http://www.captdick.net/index.html we were able to hold over the spots we wanted to check out for passing fish. The first hole or two didn't produce much for us so we eased back to the West staking out as we went along. On the second or third spot as the sun came from behind a cloud we were suddenly faced with a big 70-80lb. dark figure about 15'-20' just of the stern of the boat. I think we saw each other about the same time but I got one cast off to him before he spooked and reversed course. No Joy. Chalk and I exchanged glances and a few words your mother always said not to say. After a while we had eased West quite a ways and had seen one other single and two pair( much larger fish) in pretty much the same fashion as the first by Noon. With the clouds following us all day, stained water, 10-12 mph winds, we never had enough warning the fish were around to set up for them as they came our way. We had passed a guide headed West when we were headed out that morning and he was set up about a mile from us and we had to pass around him to get back toward the ramp. In my defense, Chalk was driving at this time. You would have thought we had a boat full of necked women on board by the way they were staring us down on the way by. I thought we gave him plenty of room! We passed another guide who appeared to be not happy that we were even in the same time zone he was in. He waved, and we waved back in the same fashion 
It's ridiculous what some of these folks consider a safe distance.I had to be back in Bainbridge by 4:30 so we moved close inshore and exchanged the 12wt. for Chalks 7wt out of the rod rack to see if Chalk could coax a red into eating before we had to be off the water. Polled around for about an hour and a half with only a few sightings of small reds and a smallish trout or two. Back to the ramp and pulling out of the parking lot by 3.
Although no fish were caught, lessons were learned and the process continues.
Again, thanks Jeff for the use of the Stakeout pole. It held the boat well considering the winds and waves we had today so I know that under normal situations it will be great as well. Put me on the list as a buyer!!
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